Equipping knowledge for 200 people working in the scrap metal industry in Ho Chi Minh City

(Dan Tri) - More than 200 scrap collectors in Ho Chi Minh City will be trained in labor safety, waste classification and livelihood skills. The initiative connects small-scale forces into the new urban waste management system.

On October 9, in Binh Khanh commune (HCMC), 100 people working in the scrap and waste collection profession participated in a training session with the theme "Labor safety & sustainable livelihood: Knowledge & Skills for scrap and waste collection workers".

Equip yourself with new skills and knowledge

This is the first activity in a series of programs to support more than 200 scrap collectors and waste collectors in the city, implemented by BASF Starting Ventures in collaboration with Yunus Environment Hub Vietnam. The second activity, for the remaining group, is expected to be held at the end of 2025.

During the training, experts from BASF Starting Ventures and Yunus Environment Hub imparted practical knowledge, from knowledge about the environment, health, and labor safety, to livelihood skills, daily expense management, and savings.

People interact with training experts on the morning of October 9 (Photo: Ha Duyen)

These contents are designed to help workers in the waste collection sector - who often face unsafe working conditions - to improve their work efficiency, protect their personal health, and improve their income.

In particular, the program also aims to affirm their role as “environmental ambassadors” in the community. The collection, classification and recycling of scrap by these workers not only contributes to reducing the waste burden for the city but also directly supports the goal of developing a circular economy .

According to the organizers, Vietnam currently generates 2.9-3.3 million tons of plastic waste each year, but only about 27-33% of it is recycled. In reality, collection and sorting activities mainly rely on the informal sector, with scrap collectors as the core. In Ho Chi Minh City alone, there are more than 2,000 people working in this profession, most of them women aged 40-60, often working in unsafe conditions and with unstable incomes.

Ms. Phan Hanh Tam, Director of Yunus Environment Hub Vietnam, shared that with experience in supporting micro, small and medium enterprises, this unit wishes to provide them - especially women - with the necessary skills, resources and confidence to improve their livelihoods in the waste value chain, together building a more sustainable future for the community.

Promoting sustainable community recycling

This initiative is part of the program "Accompanying environmental messengers - Promoting sustainable recycling communities", initiated by BASF Starting Ventures of BASF Group.

A woman buying scrap in Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: Ha Duyen)

Mr. Erick Contreras, General Director of BASF Vietnam, emphasized his commitment to contributing to a more circular and sustainable economy in Vietnam.

"With this initiative, we hope to improve the lives of scrap collectors and scrap collectors, while promoting their role in the joint efforts to implement the solid waste management plan of Ho Chi Minh City until 2025 and the goal of reducing plastic waste by 2030," he said.

In addition to training sessions, the program also pays practical attention to children of families working in the scrap and scrap collection business.

Ho Chi Minh City generates an average of 13,000 tons of solid waste every day. Of this, only about 10,000 tons are processed through factories, the rest is mainly buried (about 69%) and burned (about 10%) - the rest is recycled or composted (about 21%). Easily recyclable waste (plastic, paper, rubber...) accounts for about 27% of the total waste.

The city's waste collection system is quite diverse: there are public utility units and environmental cooperatives, but most of the recyclable waste and scrap are collected by informal forces - individuals, households or small collection points.

Supporting scrap and waste collectors, who operate mainly in the informal sector, is considered an important step for the city to move closer to the goal of building a sustainable recycling system.

When equipped with the necessary knowledge, skills and means, they not only improve their personal livelihoods but also become active agents in environmental protection, waste reduction and promoting a circular economy in the city.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/kinh-doanh/trang-bi-kien-thuc-cho-200-nguoi-lam-nghe-ve-chai-phe-lieu-tai-tphcm-20251009141723180.htm